


The Secrets of Cassiopeia Dorea Potter - Book 1: Thrust Forwards in Time

by RowenaHermioneRavenclaw



Series: The Secrets of Cassiopeia Dorea Potter [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Sirius Black, BAMF Hermione Granger, F/M, Head Auror Hermione Granger, Powerful Hermione Granger, Pureblood Hermione Granger, Sirius Black Free from Azkaban, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 14:01:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29261649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowenaHermioneRavenclaw/pseuds/RowenaHermioneRavenclaw
Summary: Head Auror Cassiopeia Potter never thought that she'd be flung forwards in time and forced to hide her identiy, but here she was. Under the cover of Hermione Granger, she navigates this new time that she has been thrust into.Book 1: Cassiopeia is sent back in time. Formulating a plan with the help of Dumbledore and McGonagall, she gets everything ready for her 'first' year at Hogwarts as Hermione Granger.'Sneaking into the Ministry Archives was a bad idea. No, scrap that. It was a terrible idea. An absolutely, truly, very terrible idea. It was even worse than that time James thought that it was a good idea to sneak into McGonagall's rooms.'
Relationships: Sirius Black/Cassiopeia Potter, Sirius Black/Hermione Granger
Series: The Secrets of Cassiopeia Dorea Potter [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188713
Comments: 14
Kudos: 65





	1. Chapter 1 - Head Auror Potter - Cassiopeia Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing: Head Auror Cassiopeia Potter and her partner, Deputy Head Auror Sirius Black.

_' Auror Raid Form _

_ Date: 19th August 1981 _

_ Time: 18:31:06 - 19: 24:37 _

_ Aurors Involved: Head Auror Cassiopeia Potter, Deputy Head Auror Sirius Black _

_ Opponent _ _(s): Alecto Carrow, Amycus Carrow, Corban Yaxley, Thoros Nott, Julius Sapno_

_Opponent(s) Taken Into Custody: Alecto Carrow, Amycus Carrow, Corban Yaxley, Thoros Nott, Julius Sapno_

_Trial(s) time: To be determined_

_Raid Area: Rosehill, exact area unknown'_

Cassiopeia Potter threw down her quill gratefully, and stretched her arms. Today there had been an all-time record of 212 raids, and as Head Auror, it was her job to write them up. Why couldn't the Aurors write them up themselves? It would save her a lot of time. Sometimes she thought Minister Bagnold lived to annoy her.

She opened her door and shut it behind her, walking to the next door. A bronze plaque on that door declared the office beyond as belonging to ' _Deputy Head of the Auror Department, Sirius Black'_.

Sirius looked up when she entered, his silvery-grey eyes sparkling. "Hi, love."

Cassiopeia smiled, leaned over and kissed him on the lips. "Hey, Sirius."

She and Sirius had been dating since their seventh year at Hogwarts. On the Hogwarts Express, leaving Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he'd proposed to her. Cassiopeia had, of course, accepted. They had been planning to marry a few months after that, but then the war came and their wedding had been postponed. Finally, after a few years of this, Cassiopeia had decreed that they would marry in December of this year, regardless of circumstances.

"Done yet?" she asked.

"No," Sirius groused. "Don't know how you handle it."

Cassiopeia shrugged. "I don't know how I do it either, but I put up with it."

"You are so much more patient than James. I don't believe that you and James are related."

She smiled lightly. "Sometimes, I don't believe that either."

Just then, Auror Proudfoot poked his head into Sirius's office. "Head Auror Potter? Deputy Head Auror Black?"

Cassiopeia immediately looked concerned. "Yes, Auror Proudfoot?"

"Berklay's been attacked. I don't know exactly how many Death Eaters there are."

She nodded bravely. "We're on it. You can go home."

Proudfoot looked uncertain, but nodded. "Goodbye, Head Auror Potter, Deputy Head Auror Black."

"Goodbye Auror Proudfoot." Cassiopeia and Sirius chorused together.

Once Proudfoot had left, Cassiopeia flicked her wand. Their casual robes transformed into the blue Auror robes, and Cassiopeia checked to make certain that her goblin-made weapons were still in place. Nodding approvingly, she grasped Sirius's arm, and they both Disapparated.

A green spell shot over their heads the second they appeared in Berklay. Sirius returned the favor, shooting a _Petrificus Totalus_ in the same direction that the Killing Curse had come from. 

Cassiopeia spun around and faced a masked Death Eater. She shot a silent _Stupefy_ at him (or at least she thought that it was a him; in the darkness of the night, she couldn't tell) but he dodged it. She narrowed her eyes. _So this one's gonna play, huh?_

She shot _Diffindo_ , _Expelliarmus_ , _Accio wand_ , _Petrificus Totalus_ and _Bombarda_ , hoping to distract him. It worked successfully, and as he threw up a shield Cassiopeia slipped nimbly to his side, and said, " _Petrificus Totalus! Incarcerous! Expelliarmus!"_

She was barely able to savor the look of shock on his face before he froze, ropes sprung into being around him and his wand flew into her hand. She pocketed it, and turned around again to face a pair of aggravated Death Eaters.

A few meters away, Sirius was doing well. He disarmed a Death Eater and bound the other, before taking both of their wands.

The night sky loomed above them, dark and stormy. The Dark Mark hung there, the misty serpent's eyes piercing. 

A Killing Curse flew by where her head had just been. She ducked just in time, and shouted, " _Diffindo_!" It missed, and the left Death Eater shot another Killing Curse at her. Cassiopeia rolled her eyes; didn't this idiot know of magical exhaustion?

" _Lumos Maxima_." The bright white light momentarily blinded her opponents, and she shot _Expelliarmus_ and _Stupefy_ at both of them. She shoved their wands into her pocket for investigation later.

Another group of Death Eaters appeared from the shadows. Cassiopeia felt strangely annoyed by this; there were only two Aurors, did they really need to have a dozen Death Eaters to fight, especially so late at night? But life wasn't fair, especially life in a time of war.

Maybe she should call James to take her place, but James was probably sleeping. Maybe Kingsley? He'd probably be awake, but - 

A red spell flew over her head, and she scowled. _"Stupefy! Expelliarmus! Incarcerous! Diffindo! Petrificus Totalus!_ " 

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sirius give her a thumbs up before promptly sending a _Petrificus Totalus_ at his opponent. She smiled back.

The two Death Eaters remaining in the group that she'd attacked seemed angrier. She allowed them free reign for a few minutes, occassionally ducking or throwing up a shield as uncontrolled spells shot everywhere. Finally, they stopped, panting, and Cassiopeia shot _Stupefy, Expelliarmus_ and _Incarcerous_ at them before releasing a breath that she didn't know she had been holding.

Sirius was duelling with the last Death Eater now. A Cutting Hex sliced his arm slightly, and he winced, but it hadn't been too powerful, Cassiopeia could tell from the brightness of the light. A green spell skimmed the hair on his head before he disarmed and bound the Death Eater.

"How many?" he asked.

_"Lumos."_ Cassiopeia murmured. A bright white light shone from the tip of her wand, and she roved around the battlefield, counting bodies. "34 victims. 13 Death Eaters. How many wands have you got?"

Sirius shoved his hand into his pocket, and drew out the wands that he'd confiscated. "Five."

"I've got seven." Cassiopeia said, in response to his silent question. "Good."

She went over to him, stepping over numerous bodies as she did so, and clutched his arm, before they disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2 - An Unexpected Attack - Cassiopeia Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Cassiopeia and Sirius return back to the Ministry, they aren't expecting to be attacked immediately.

A green spell shot over their heads the second Cassiopeia and Sirius appeared in the Ministry. Hooded wizards and witches darted around, shouting curses and hexes and spells. Realization dawned on Cassiopeia as she did a head count of the Death Eaters present.

"It was a trick!" she cried, her grip on her wand tightening. "It's either they wanted us to get out of the way so they could get into the Ministry without encountering anyone, or they actually wanted to fight us but wanted us to be weak so we wouldn't pose much of a challenge! Then they'll probably use us to lure Jamie and Lily and baby Harry!"

Sirius looked as panicked as she felt. "So...what should we do?"

Cassiopeia threw him an annoyed look. "Sirius Black, what are you, a mouse? We fight, obviously!"

"But there's so many Death Eaters!" he protested.

She rolled her eyes. "Exactly why we should fight. Even if we get beaten -" ("Very likely," Sirius snorted) "we should have already knocked out a few of them! Less Death Eaters roaming the world!"

"I think you're overexcited," Sirius muttered.

"Shut up and - _why, Sirius Orion Black_ _, are you not holding your bloody wand_?" Cassiopeia demanded, looking horrified. A wizard's wand was his life, just as a witch's wand was hers. She had learned a long time ago to always be holding her wand, especially since she became an Auror. 

Sirius fumbled in his robes for his wand and drew it. He smiled beatifically. "Got it!"

Cassiopeia gave him the stink eye, but didn't comment as a cutting hex nearly severed her head from her body. She threw up a shield just in time, threw Sirius one more dark glare, then slashed her wand and released a volley of curses and hexes.

She used her wandless hand to cast _Protego Familia Potter_ and the Potter family shield expanded into being. It was partially transparent, with a shimmery sheen of red and gold covering it. The Potter crest - a griffin - blazed on the shield. Cassiopeia's left hand stretched out, the shield drawing magic from it. 

A stunner shot by a black-clad Death Eater was deflected by her shield and the spell flew towards the caster. The Death Eater fell to the ground unconscious, and Cassiopeia smirked victoriously.

She narrowly dodged a _Crucio_ , ducked to avoid an Entrail-Expelling Curse, doubled over to escape an _Avada Kedavra_ and jumped up as an unknown spell skimmed her feet. She shot a few stunners, each one connecting to a Death Eater's body. 

But there were too many. There were dozens of Death Eaters here, and only two Aurors. Sure, Cassiopeia and Sirius might've been Head Auror and Deputy Head Auror respectively, but they were still just two Aurors. The best they could hope for was to knock out a good few enemies before they were captured.

Cassiopeia bent awkwardly to avoid a flying hex. She straigtened up again when the hex had passed and hit a Death Eater. She smirked. The Death Eaters were killing their own. If they kept up at this, in half an hour, Cassiopeia and Sirius could easily beat them.

 _Or maybe not_ , Cassiopeia thought as a cutting hex skimmed her right arm, leaving a trail of perfect, weeping droplets of blood. 

She bound her current Death Eater opponent and risked a glance over at Sirius. He wasn't doing too well; his left hand was black and crippled, but he kept fighting. 

" _Crucio!_ " A Death Eater shrieked. Cassiopeia's eyes widened in shock and fright as Sirius fell to the ground and thrashed under the spell, screaming as loud as a banshee.

Cassiopeia shut her eyes, unable to continue seeing her beloved being tortured. This must not be new to him, considering what he'd once told her about his childhood life, living in the Black townhouse...

_They were up in the Astronomy tower. The wind blew lightly, and it ruffled Cassiopeia's curly black hair. Beside her, Sirius sat, holding the Marauders' Map. She couldn't see his expression, the darkness of the night obscuring him from her view, but she could see his faint outline, misty in the pitch-black sky._

_"Why did you bring me here, Sirius?" she questioned lightly._

_She'd been in the Gryffindor Common Room, studying with Lily and Remus. James, Sirius and Peter had been putting their heads together, planning a prank, as they wrote things on a piece of blank parchment. Suddenly, Sirius had stood up, said something to James and Peter, who both nodded, and came over to her._

_"I want to talk to you, Cassie," he'd said._

_Cassiopeia glanced up at him concernedly. "What's wrong?"_

_"I want to talk to you." he repeated. "Come."_

_And so they had ended up atop the Astronomy Tower, the black sky looming above them, with tiny stars twinkling in its mist._

_Now, Sirius said, his tone serious, "I needed to tell you something."_

_"What?"_

_Sirius took a deep breath. "You know, in my first year, I had a lot of nightmares and I would wake up from them shaking and screaming?"_

_Cassiopeia nodded, and stretched her hand out, ruffling his hair softly. "I know. They stopped during the holidays, though."_

_"They didn't."_

_His abrupt answer shocked her, but she continued playing with his hair, feeling that he needed some support. "What do you mean, they didn't? I had Jamie check on you every morning, and you were perfectly fine."_

_"I silenced my bed, and always woke up earlier and pretended to be asleep when James checked on me."_

_Cassiopeia's hand gripped his hair tighter. "Why didn't you tell us?"_

_He turned to face her. She suspected he was smiling sadly. "You would panic and have me shipped to St Mungo's and insist on doing all these unnecessary things."_

_She released a breath that she didn't know she had been holding. She'd thought that he didn't trust them, and now, especially as they were dating, that thought hurt her more than any Death Eater could. "Why did you have those nightmares?"_

_"Mother. She...she liked to torture me and Reggie with the Cruciatus to keep us 'in line'. I always took them for Reggie, because I loved him. You have no idea how happy I was when the Potters took me in."_

_Cassiopeia shuffled closer to him, and hugged him tightly. "That'll never happen to you again, Sirius Black. I'll make sure of it."_

The screaming continued, worse than before. Cassiopeia wanted to help, but she was afraid of the picture that would await her open eyes.

But the second rule of the Auror Department was: never, ever close your eyes, especially in a duel. 

A curse hit her in the back, and Cassiopeia Potter sunk into unconsciousness, Sirius's screams still echoing in her ears.


	3. Chapter 3 - To See the Truth - Cassiopeia Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When being hurtled forwards in time, Cassiopeia Potter glimpses the truth of events to come.

Cassiopeia’s world spun on its axis. She distantly felt her body hit the floor with a loud thump. Sirius’s screaming stopped.

Her vision turned spotty, and Cassiopeia strained to open her eyes, but it seemed that they were glued together. There was another loud thump, and her vision turned black.

At first, she didn’t understand what was happening. Then, as events flew past her, she understood. She was going forwards in time. In the beginning, she saw completely random events. The trashing of the Ministry, right after she had been hit. Kingsley Shacklebolt going to visit his mother. Fred and George Weasley being scolded by their mother, Molly Weasley. Then the things she saw started having more purpose. The death of Peter's sister, Philidea. Cassiopeia felt sorry for him; she'd lost her parents, both of them, and she could imagine what Peter was feeling. 

Her vision started to tint red in rage as she watched Peter being inducted into the Death Eaters. She saw him feeding information to Voldemort, on the Order's members, raids, investigations and everything else. After that, her vision cleared again, and the events slowed.

_Cassiopeia landed on the floor, but surprisingly, it didn't hurt. She lifted her hand to push herself up, and stared at it in disbelief. It was transparent._

_It was rather like watching a Pensieve memory, she decided. She stood up, but didn't bother brushing herself off. She wouldn't be able to anyway._

_Cassiopeia looked around. She was clearly in a living room. Windows ringed the sides; it was dark out. There was a small dining table, a few large chairs, a baby chair, a few bookcases, and a sofa. There was a redheaded woman with bright green eyes holding a tiny baby, with curly black hair which just wouldn't stay down and the woman's shining emerald eyes. A man with black hair, same as the child's, and hazel eyes sat beside them, conjuring bubbles with his wand for the baby._

_The baby tried to grasp at the bubbles, but whenever his tiny finger came in contact with the smooth, see-through surface of the conjured bubbles, it would pop._

_"Smart, aren't you, Harry?" Lily Evans Potter crooned at her son._

_Harry gurgled happily, staring up at his mother._

_"Not a baby Marauder, right, Harry?" Lily continued, with a smile._

_"Hey, Lils," James Potter interjected. "Harry's definitely a baby Marauder. Look - he even has the smile!"_

_Lily glared at her husband, and huffed. "Well, if Harry's going to be a Marauder, I'd rather he be like Remus or...her."_

_There was a silence, then James shook his head. "No way! He's going to grow up as a huge prankster."_

_"James Fleamont Potter," Lily began. If looks could kill, James would be six feet under._

_Fortunately for James, the door slammed open, promptly saving him from death-by-glare._

_Lily turned around, and gasped. "Sirius! What's going on? Was Moony found out? Was Wormy attacked?"  
_

_Sirius Black shook his head. His wavy black hair fell in waves, framing his face. "No. I needed to talk to you."_

_James stood up. "What is it, Padfoot?"_

_Sirius's eyes looked slightly crazed. "Switch me with Wormtail, Prongs."_

_James blinked. "What?"_

_"The Secret Keeper!" Sirius burst out. "I'm too obvious! Our relationship is well-known! They'll expect that I'm the Secret Keeper! Change it to Peter, quick!"_

_"No!" Cassiopeia cried. "James, Peter's a Death Eater! Keep Sirius as Secret Keeper!" A plant of worry grew in her heart, and she completely forgot that this was just a memory or whatever it was, and that she couldn't change it, as she shouted pleas for James to not listen to Sirius._

_James looked at him like he'd just sprouted three heads. "Woah, there. Chill."_

_Sirius seemed to slump down at that. His pained silver eyes met James's. "Please, Prongs. I don't want to use you and Lily and Harry." He swallowed. "I've already lost Cassiopeia."_

_Cassiopeia's heart gave a jolt. "Sirius..." she whispered._

_James's hazel eyes filled with tears, and he nodded. "Alright, Sirius. Let's call Wormtail."_

_"No!" Cassiopeia cried. "No, don't!"_

And then she was spinning again, time rushing past her in great waves. She caught a glimpse of Evan Rosier being captured, then little Ginny Weasley squealing loudly. Then time slowed again.

_"My Lord." the voice of Peter Pettigrew rang out in Riddle Mansion, of Little Hangleton._

_The figure of Lord Voldemort sat on a throne, his red eyes staring at his servant. He was wearing black robes, and his white hand held his wand aloft almost lazily._

_Cassiopeia wanted to kill him. Here was a villain who destroyed so many lives, sitting here and probably arranging the next deaths. But she couldn't, because she wasn't real._

_"You have brought me information, Wormtail?" the Dark Lord's lazy drawl echoed around the Mansion._

_The black-robed Death Eater nodded. "I have, My Lord."_

_"Do tell."_

_The Death Eater kneeling at Voldemort's feet threw his hood back. The blue-eyed face of Peter Pettigrew stared triumphantly at his Lord. "The Potters have made me their Secret Keeper."_

_Oh, if Cassiopeia could get her hands on the double-crossing rat..._

_Voldemort nodded. "Their location?"_

_Pettigrew took a deep breath, then said, "The Potters' Cottage, home of James and Lily Potter, is located in Godric's Hollow, number thirteen."_

_Voldemort smiled without mirth. "You have done well, Wormtail. Go."_

_Pettigrew nodded, and scuttled out the door like the betraying rat he was._

Cassiopeia thought that the universe was trying to torture her. She caught a glimpse of James and Lily's cottage, the door open, the inside completely trashed. Her brother's body lay on the floor, James's hazel eyes wide and unseeing, his wand...on the table.

Why in Merlin's name was his wand on the table? 

There was a crash upstairs, a cry, an incantation, and then all was quiet. 

And time flew past her again, and stopped again.

_"You killed them!" Sirius shrieked, looking crazed. "You killed James and Lily! You probably organized Cassie's death too!"_

_Peter Pettigrew cowered away from his former friend, but there was a determined glint in his eye. "What do you mean? You were Secret Keeper for James and Lily! You were with Cassie when she died!"_

_Sirius roared in rage, and advanced on Peter. "No I wasn't! I begged them to change to you, and they did, and you betrayed them! I might have been with Cassie when she died, but no one except James, Lily, Remus and_ you _knew that we were working late!"_

_Peter squawked. "Don't lie, Sirius! You killed them!" He flicked his hand, and Cassiopeia recognized the wand movements of a silencing charm._

_"I. DID. NOT. KILL. JAMES. LILY. OR. CASSIE!" Sirius roared. "Don't lie, traitor! Confess to the truth!"_

_Sirius unsheathed his wand threateningly, but he didn't seem to be casting any spells._

_Peter took his wand out too, and his face took on a distinctly evil gleam. "Bombarda!" he shouted._

_Cassiopeia only had one more glance of Sirius's horrified face before she was wrenched out of the scene._

Time sped past her, quicker than ever before, and Cassiopeia's vision and mind went completely black.


	4. Chapter 4 - The Injustice of It All - Cassiopeia Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassiopeia truly sees the injustice of the Wizarding World as she is spun forwards in time.

Cassiopeia pried her eyes open tiredly, and blinked. She was _still_ floating in time, or that's what it seemed like. She could see nothing but black, though she was awake and her eyes were completely opened.

Merlin, it was like Lady Magic was doing this on purpose!

Cassiopeia stopped, as her brain started processing those words. Then it clicked. Lady Magic _did_ want her to see these events, so they must be important in the future. 

Her vision sharpened and her ears perked up, so when the blackness started to disappear she paid close attention.

_This event seemed to be a follow up of the Sirius/Peter confrontation. Cassiopeia could see the large hole in the Muggle street, created by Peter's blasting curse. She scrunched her nose up at the bits of Muggles - brains, flesh, even blood - scattered around the street._

_Sirius was on his knees, his wand a meter away from him. Cassiopeia had to resist the urge to scold him. Honestly, why did he keep doing that?_

_She inched closer to Sirius, analyzing him. He looked terrible. His silver eyes were bloodshot, and his dark hair was all trussed up - even more so than usual. His perfectly tailored robes were partially torn up._

_Muggles were already running outside their houses, shrieking, crying hysterically or pointing at Sirius. He didn't seem to notice them._

_"I killed them," he moaned. "I killed James and Lily and Cassiopeia. I killed them."_

_Cassiopeia furrowed her brows, confused. It hadn't been Sirius's fault that she'd been hit with that spell, and it wasn't his fault that her brother and sister-in-law had been killed. But he thought that it was his fault, because it was him being tortured that made her close her eyes and get hit, and it was him who begged James and Lily to change the Secret Keeper to Peter. Her heart ached for him._

_It wasn't long before the Aurors arrived on the scene. She recognized Proudfoot, Dawlish (his blue eyes were completely unmistakeable) and Savage (an idiot and a moron). They cleared the Muggles away, citing that they would handle the situation, and erected wards around themselves and Sirius._

_"Sirius Orion Black," Dawlish began, his voice hard and eyes unforgiving. "You are under arrest for the use of a blasting curse in a street of Muggles, a serious breach on the International Statute of Secrecy, murder of thirteen Muggles and Peter Pettigrew, the betrayal and murder of James and Lily Evans Potter, and possible betrayal and murder of Cassiopeia Potter."_

_"No!" Cassiopeia shrieked. "He didn't do it! Pettigrew is the traitor! He pretended that Sirius was! He put up a silencing charm so no one would hear that he was really the traitor! Pettigrew cast the blasting curse!"_

_But of course, her screams had no effect on them, because they couldn't hear her anyway._

_And then, the strangest thing happened. Sirius laughed._

_Cassiopeia blinked in befuddlement, and strained her ears. Sirius's laugh was loud and...crazy. It was the laugh of a madman._

_Must be the stupid Black madness taking over._

_Well, that wasn't helping him at all._

_Savage took both of Sirius's arms, wrenched them up, Sirius still laughing, and Disapparated with a crack._

_Proudfoot and Dawlish exchanged knowing glances, and followed suit._

_Then she was in the Ministry. They were in the Auror Department, in the place Aurors would take Azkaban prisoners to have their prison numbers engraved. Cassiopeia had never been there, because she knew that they used knifes and carved the prison number into the prisoner's skin. She preferred to be shut up in her office, preferably with Sirius, writing up stupid Auror reports._

_However, since she was here now, perhaps she actually had to see it happen._

_To Sirius._

_To her Sirius._

_She didn't want to see it._

_But she had to._

_So she opened her eyes wide, and stepped inside the chalk circle._

_Proudfoot, Savage and Dawlish were there. Savage and Dawlish were holding each of Sirius's arms, who, luckily, had stopped laughing. Proudfoot was holding an enchanted knife, its sharp point glittering menacingly._

_Savage pulled up Sirius's left hand, and Proudfoot inched nearer, still holding the knife. Then he promptly stuck the enchanted, probably goblin-made knife in Sirius's left arm._

_"That's not legal!" Cassiopeia shouted. She'd never actually known what really happened when Azkaban prisoners would have their prison numbers engraved, but this was definitely not what she was expecting._

_Sirius howled loudly, sounding so like his dog counterpart that Cassiopeia wasn't completely sure that he was in his human form._

_Proudfoot ignored him, and starting carving the letters. Gebo. Algiz. 3. 9. 0._

_And then she was spinning out of the memory, with one last glimpse of Sirius's horrified face._

**_So you have seen, my child, the injustice of the Wizarding World._ **

Cassiopeia blinked, then fell silent.

**_Tom Riddle has done much._ **

_**He made Horcruxes, the Darkest objects that a Dark wizard could create.** _

_Who are you?_ Cassiopeia thought, as her mouth was stubbornly refusing to open.

**_I am Hecate._ **

_Hecate_? Cassiopeia thought, a little panicked. Why in Merlin's name was the bloody magic goddess doing in her head? Or at least, what she thought was her head. She couldn't be sure.

Hecate ignored her. _**The wizard you call Lord Voldemort is not dead yet.**_

_Not dead yet! But I saw -_

_**His main soul was destroyed. He will come back.** _

_Then what can I do? What -_

**_I pulled you through time, and showed you these events, so that you could rebuild the Wizarding World. You have great potential, Cassiopeia Potter._ **

_Um, thanks? But a Death Eater -_

Hecate ignored her again. _**Do well by Magic, my child.**_

The last thing Cassiopeia saw was a glimpse of Albus Dumbledore's office in Hogwarts, silver trinkets lining the walls and shelves, Fawkes the phoenix standing on his desk.


	5. Chapter 5 - A New Identity - Cassiopeia Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is formulated for Cassiopeia to take on a new identity.

"What should we do, Albus?"

"Calm down, Minerva. We will choose a course of action when Miss Potter wakes."

Cassiopeia blinked blearily, and the Hogwarts Hospital Wing swam into view. She lifted her arm (why did it feel so heavy?) and rubbed her eyes. She could see clearer now. She was on the fifth bed, a large block of chocolate was on her bed table, Madam Pomfrey was nowhere to be seen, and Dumbledore and Professor McGongall were at the foot of her bed. 

"Oh! You're awake now." Dumbledore said cheerfully, effectively cutting off whatever McGonagall was saying.

Cassiopeia nodded. Her head felt weird. "Yes, I am. Or at least I think I am."

The last thing she remembered was the voice of the goddess Hecate, telling her that Voldemort wasn't gone and that she needed to fix the Wizarding World. She assumed that Hecate had finished propelling her through time, and she'd passed out in the Headmaster's office, and somehow she'd gotten to the Hospital Wing.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore smiled, but then his cheerful tone dropped to a more serious tone. "Miss Potter, we must discuss your...situation."

Cassiopeia sat up bolt upright, ignoring the ache in her back. "My situation?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Yes. I think that I understand. You disappeared, and everyone thought you dead, but instead you were propelled through time and de-aged...for a purpose."

Cassiopeia blinked. "De-aged."

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled a bit. "Yes, Miss Potter. Look for yourself."

Cassiopeia lifted her hand and stared at it for what seemed like ages. It was her hand, but it was...tiny. Very tiny. It was the size her hand was when she was eleven years old.

She threw the blanket off her legs and stared at them too. They were smaller and shorter. She moved them a bit. It felt extraordinarily weird, even weirder than when a prank had gone wrong and made all the bones in her right arm disappear (James had hid in his room for two days straight).

"I'm eleven again." she said bluntly.

McGonagall nodded. "Yes. And so, we - Albus and I - have devised a solution."

"I'm willing to hear it, but first, when is it?"

McGonagall took a deep breath. "The summer holidays of 1991." Then, quickly, as if she wanted to hurry up, "You shall pose as a Muggleborn witch, just entering Hogwarts."

Cassiopeia gaped at her for a moment, then said, "That's excellent! If I go to Hogwarts this year, I'll be in Harry's year! And I'll be in the thick of things too, so I can affect things!"

"Affect things?" inquired Dumbledore.

Cassiopeia nodded. "Yes. I know the truth of events that have happened in the past, and I can use that knowledge to my advantage."

Dumbledore nodded but did not ask her to elaborate. Cassiopeia sighed in relief. If she had to tell Dumbledore and McGonagall about what she had seen, she would either vomit or run out screaming.

"But we have not sorted out the matter of your new identity yet."

"Any ideas?" drawled Cassiopeia. "I mean, I'm going to be a Muggleborn, but to do that I'll need to have a name, parents, bla bla bla."

McGonagall seemed to be considering it. "I have a distant cousin who knows about magic, on my father's side. He's called Daniel Granger. He's married, too, and he and Emma have always wanted a child."

Cassiopeia frowned. "But what about my name?" she asked.

"Hermione," Dumbledore came into the conversation again. "Hermione Jean, perhaps?"

A slow smile spread on Cassiopeia's face. "Hermione Jean Granger." she repeated. "I like it."

* * *

Cassiopeia stared at herself in the mirror. She looked the same as always, but younger: curly, uncontrollable black hair, hazel eyes with a hint of green in them, and a button nose. 

Behind her, Professor McGonagall sat on a stool, her grey hair pulled into a bun, as always, her emerald eyes piercing. 

They'd (Dumbledore, McGonagall and Cassiopeia) figured out that Cassiopeia needed another appearance, so no one would recognize her. After all, there was still some chance someone would be able to figure out what had happened, even with the Wizarding World's _shallow, uncomprehending minds_ as Cassiopeia called them.

"I want to keep my hair." Cassiopeia said stubbornly. 

"If you wish." McGonagall sighed. "But perhaps change the color?"

"To what? Not red, that's too bright, not yellow, that would look weird, how about brown? A light brown?"

McGonagall nodded approvingly. "A light brown it is then."

Cassiopeia's hair turned a light brown color. It was still uncontrollable, and she fluffed it up a tiny bit, and examined herself in the mirror. "I'm not sure that I'll be able to keep this up the entire time. My Metamorphagus abilities are...restricted because of my age."

"We'll figure out a solution to that later." McGonagall dismissed it. "Now, your eyes. Those are quite obvious; not as obvious as Miss Evans's eyes, but still obvious. Brown, to match with your hair?"

Her reflection said, "I think I like that."

Cassiopeia scowled at it. "Be quiet. I'm thinking about it."

The mirror obediently fell silent.

"Is this okay?" Cassiopeia asked, when her hazel-green eyes had turned the shade of cinnamon.

McGonagall nodded. "I think you can keep your nose. Your eyes and hair are the most important."

Cassiopeia scowled at nowhere in particular. "At least I get to keep some part of my hair." She threw a glare at the Head of Gryffindor, and received an unimpressed stare in return.


	6. Chapter 6 - Incomplete - Sirius Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius Black was never complete since Cassiopeia disappeared.

_"Hello?" Sirius poked his head into the compartment nervously. He wasn't usually like this; usually, he was a social butterfly, fluttering around and flirting with girls. However, it was his first time on the Hogwarts Express, and he wanted to have friends by the end of the journey. Permanent friends, who wouldn't leave him._

_Inside was a girl with curly dark hair, hazel-green eyes, and a cute button nose. 'Hogwarts: A History' was propped up on her lap. She looked up, and smiled. "Hello. Why don't you come in?"_

_Sirius stepped inside the compartment and sat down in the seat across the girl. "I'm Sirius Black." he said, by way of introduction._

_The girl smiled at him. "I'm Cassiopeia Potter." she said._

_Sirius's brow furrowed in concentration. "Daughter of Dorea Black and Charlus Potter?"_

_She nodded, and smiled again. "Nice to meet you, Sirius Black."_

_"You too, Cassiopeia Potter." he returned, with his signature smirk. To her credit, Cassiopeia did not blush red._

_They sat in silence for a little while, Sirius flicking his wand and randomly setting things on fire as Cassiopeia put the fires out with a wave of her wand. She disappeared behind her book again._

_Soon, the compartment door slid open. "Hi, Cassie - and who's that?"_

_The boy who stood there looked like Cassiopeia's sibling; he had the same uncontrollable black hair and hazel-green eyes._

_Cassiopeia sighed and put her book down. "Don't you know that it's rude to enter without knocking, James?"_

_Oh. This was James Potter, and if he remembered correctly, Cassiopeia's twin._

_James shook his head and grinned cheekily. "No, Cassie. And who's this?"_

_"It's rude to talk about people in their company as if they don't exist." Cassiopeia pointed out. She turned to Sirius. "This is my new friend, Sirius Black."_

_A shadow fell across James's face. "Black?" he repeated in a strangled voice. "Black?"_

_Sirius shrunk back in his seat. He knew that, especially by Gryffindor families, he would be scorned for his family name. But Cassiopeia hadn't, so he'd held out hope._

_Cassiopeia glared at her twin. "Give him a chance." she urged. "Mum was a Black too, you know."_

_Sirius felt his spirits lift slightly and gave Cassiopeia an appreciative look. She smiled back._

_"Fine." grumbled James. He turned to Sirius. "What's your favorite color?"_

_"Gold." Sirius said immediately. For a second, he was worried that he'd said the wrong thing; then James's features relaxed into a smile, but he wasn't finished interrogating him just yet. "Favorite hobby?"  
_

_"Pranks." Sirius shrugged._

_A blooming smile spread across James's face. "You're my new best friend." he declared. "As well as Remus."_

_"Who's Remus?" Cassiopeia asked._

_James waved a hand dismissively. "Remus Lupin. He went to the toilet."_

_"Sorry for my idiot of a brother, if he offended you."_

_"No." Sirius shook his head. "He didn't."_

_Just then, a sandy-haired boy poked his head into the compartment. "Hi, James. Can I sit?"_

_James nodded. "Of course, Remus! Next to me."_

_Remus Lupin nodded, looking a little self-conscious, his shabby robes stark contrast to the fine, perfectly-tailored robes of the others in the compartment. "Thank you." He looked towards Sirius and Cassiopeia. "Who are you?" he asked._

_"Remus, this is my other new best friend, Sirius Black, and my awesome, ass-kicking twin, Cassiopeia!"  
_

_Cassiopeia glared at him. "Thanks a lot."_

_"What for?" James asked innocently._

_Cassiopeia rolled her eyes. "Nothing."_

_A while later, the trolley lady came by. "Sweets, dearies?" she asked._

_Sirius dug in his pockets and came up empty. It wasn't like he could expect Orion and Walburga Black to give their wayward son money for sweets. James shrugged. Remus blushed, and shook his head. Cassiopeia dug gold coins out of her pockets._

_"Any suggestions?" she asked._

_"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans!" James cheered._

_"Liquorice Wands?" Sirius suggested._

_"Chocolate Frogs?" Remus said timidly._

_She said to the trolley lady, "As much Sugar Quills, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Liquorice Wands and Chocolate Frogs as," she counted the coins in her hands, "seven Galleons, one Knut and two Sickles can buy."_

_When the trolley lady had left, Cassiopeia held up her wand and said clearly, "Wingardium Leviosa." and gave it a swish and a flick._

_James's trunk soared from the trunk rack, and landed on the floor with a soft thump. Cassiopeia removed a white handkerchief from her pocket, and pointed her wand at it. "Engorgio."_

_"Wow." Sirius marveled. "How many other spells can you do?"_

_Cassiopeia set the handkerchief that was now as big as a tablecloth on James's trunk, and set out the sweets on it._

_She shrugged, and said in response to Sirius's question, "I don't know. I like to practice them in my free time, not playing stupid pranks on Mum that results in you not having time to practice spells!"_

_James grinned at her. "But didn't you like them?"_

_Cassiopeia gave them all another glare, muttered, "Boys are weird," and disappeared behind her books again._

_Sirius's heart lifted, for the first time in years._

* * *

Sirius Black pressed himself against the cold wall of his tiny, high-security cell, a ball of dark wet fur. He stared blankly into the gloomy grey gloom that permeated Azkaban. 

He shivered violently, and transformed back into a human, folding his arms across his chest for warmth, but the cold didn't go away. In fact, it seemed to increase.

He swept his dirty, matted hair out of his face, still staring blankly. The prison rags that covered him didn't help at all. Sirius suspected that they had cooling charms on them. It was a Ministry thing to do that.

"Not guilty, not guilty, not guilty," he whispered to himself, over and over again.

A guard - Sirius dimly recognized him - approached. His expression was not kind or pitying, nor was it neutral. It was outright hostility.

"Stop muttering," the guard said angrily. He kicked Sirius in the ribs, and the prisoner doubled up in pain. Sirius's ribs were most definitely broken again. 

But he actually appreciated the pain. It took his mind of James and Lily and Cassie and Harry and everyone else. It took his mind off the war, what he had lost. Cassie. James. Lily. Harry. Remus, even though he was still alive. Peter. Himself.

"You deserve it," the guard hissed venomously. He shot a stinging hex at Sirius - mild, compared to his mother's. Walburga Black could teach how to do a mean hex (not that Sirius encouraged it, of course).

A bone-breaking curse shot his way, but Sirius didn't bother dodging it. He felt his bones cracking under the curse, but refused to scream. He wouldn't give that Merlin-thrice-damned guard the satisfaction; Cassiopeia had taught him that, citing that it made opponents reckless and easier to take out, and though Sirius had no intention to take out the guard (he didn't have the strength anyway) it was a reminder of Cassiopeia.

Snarling, the guard shot an array of offensive spells, including stinging hexes, bone-breaking curses, flesh-stripping spells (Sirius was no stranger to those, Walburga having cast a particularly nasty one when he was five) and, of the less offensive, knockback jinxes.

He only left when Sirius was on the floor, bleeding, whimpering in pain. 

_Cassiopeia._ he thought. He couldn't die. No. He had to live for Cassiopeia, and even if she was dead, her memory.

* * *

The black-hooded Dementors neared his cell, and Sirius Black was thrown back into his memories, years and years ago.

The Cruciatus Curse being used on him for the first time.

His brother, Regulus Black, being sorted into Slytherin, and Sirius abandoning him.

Regulus joining the Death Eaters.

The deaths of Charlus and Dorea Potter.

Cassiopeia's disappearance, how he'd been so close to her, but unable to help.

James and Lily's deaths.

Realizing that his long-time best friend, Peter Pettigrew, had betrayed them.

And then just like that, his heart was broken again.

Ever since James and Lily had died - no, since Cassiopeia had disappeared - he'd been...incomplete in a way. He couldn't explain it, but his spells had began to get less power, he couldn't run as well, and his magic...well, his magic just broke.

It became uncontrolled, and he'd been unable to perform spells harder than an Accio without setting fire to something. He hadn't been able to explain it, but he'd known, since the first time he'd come into contact with the Dementors; it was because Cassiopeia's disappearance and likely death, then James and Lily's death and Peter's betrayal had splintered his magic even more. 

He'd held out hope that Cassiopeia would come back - after all, she was excellent and duelling and could perhaps subdue her captors - but after an entire week passed, Sirius knew she was gone. Gone and never coming back.

They'd taken his engagement ring when he'd been sent to Azkaban, his only link to Cassiopeia he had left (except for the photos and letters, obviously. But their engagement rings had highlighted a special point in their lives). 

At sometimes, he wondered if he was really going mad and Cassiopeia Potter didn't exist. But the thought that he was innocent had grounded him, and he knew, without a doubt, that she had indeed existed but now was no more.

He transformed into Padfoot, and curled up, his mind, luckily, perfectly stable. Or as stable as one's mind could be in Azkaban, anyway.

And when he fell asleep, dreams of Cassiopeia and James Potter, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew plagued his mind once again. 


	7. Chapter 7 - An Altered Dream - Cassiopeia Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassiopeia has a disturbing, altered dream.

_"Wake up, Cassie! Wake up!"_

_Cassiopeia rolled over and opened her eyes. "What is it, James?"_

_"It's our birthday!"_

_"It's four thirty in the morning, for Merlin's sake!"  
_

_"Doesn't matter!" James declared. "It's still our birthday."_

_Cassiopeia blinked blearily and sat up. "I wanted to get some sleep!"_

_"No! Wake up, Cassie! We have to get our presents!"_

_"Why don't you get them yourself?" Cassiopeia asked grumpily. "You're eight already!"_

_James pouted at her. "Please, Cassie?"_

_"Fine," Cassiopeia relented. She swung her feet over the side of the bed and slipped them into her fluffy slippers. "Come on!"_

_James and Cassiopeia bounded down the stairs, full of excitement (and slight annoyance on Cassiopeia's part). The Muggle christmas tree glittered with lights, and fairies hovered around it. Cassiopeia and Dorea had found them themselves._

_There was a popping sound, and a house-elf appeared. He wagged his finger at them. "Why is Young Master James and Young Mistress Cassiopeia up so early?"_

_James looked slightly sheepish. "Sorry, Algy. Just getting our presents!"_

_The Head Potter elf harrumphed. "It is too early." Algy lectured. "You must go back to sleep."  
_

_"It's our birthday today!" James insisted. The old elf's face softened. "It is still too early, but Algy will make an exception."_

_"Thanks, Algy! You're the best!" James cheered._

_With a pop, the elf Disapparated. The Potter twins sat down under the Christmas tree and pulled their presents towards them. James got a broom ("We already have so many!" Cassiopeia protested), a broomstick servicing kit ("That's overboard!" Cassiopeia grumped) and boxes and boxes of sweets. Cassiopeia received books, including a first-edition copy of Hogwarts: A History, a model of Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem, and heaps of Sugar Quills. It was two hours later that they finally leaned back, exhausted._

_At eight o'clock their parents, Charlus and Dorea Black Potter, came down the stairs and the elves made breakfast. They shoveled down the feast of eggs, pancakes, hashbrowns and bread quickly, as they both wanted to experiment with their presents._

_"We're going to go to Diagon Alley." Dorea announced._

_Cassiopeia bounced in her seat. "Diagon Alley? Can I go to Flourish and Blotts? And -"_

_"No! I want to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies!"  
_

_"That's boring!"_

_"No it's not!"_

_"Yes it is! On the other hand, Flourish and Blotts contains many fascinating books that would help you tremendously, and -"_

_"I'm going to die of boredom!"_

_"Children, be quiet." Charlus interrupted. "We are going to take you to the Potter vault. You have to pick out your heirloom jewelry, Cassie."_

_A smile spread across Cassiopeia's face. "Heirloom jewelry? I nearly forgot that! Cool!"_

_It was already noon when the Potter family had all finished their morning routines, and now they were all lined up in front of the large, elegant fireplace._

_"Charlus, you go first." Dorea ordered._

_"As you wish, my dear." Charlus bowed, with a smirk.  
_

_His wife rolled her eyes. "Get into the fireplace, or I'll push you into it."_

_Charlus took a scoop of Floo powder from the flowerpot on the mantle, threw it into the fireplace and yelled, "Diagon Alley!" as he stepped into it. A second later, he had disappeared._

_Cassiopeia stepped up next. She drew her hand through the Floo powder and scooped a handful into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!" Then she stepped into the roaring flames, and then she was turning, spinning...she could see the fireplaces, recognize those of House Nott, House Malfoy, and House Greengrass. A second later the fire spat her out in Diagon Alley, and she tumbled out of the flames, saved by falling by her father steadying her._

_"I'll never get the hang of it." she grumbled._

_The Potter Patriach chuckled. "You will."_

_Cassiopeia threw up her hands. "I keep falling!"_

_Just then, James appeared out of the fire, soot covered. Dorea appeared behind him with a scowl. "That was not funny, not funny at all, James Fleamont Potter."_

_"What did you do?" Cassiopeia asked as they strolled down Diagon Alley. Lights twinkled and flashed around them, and colorful signs were hung up. Posters were plastered onto windows and boards were sitting outside shops. Around them, people bustled around, doing their daily routine._

_"Almost got out at the Greengrass fireplace," James grinned._

_Cassiopeia resisted the urge to groan. "And you had to do that, why?"_

_"Just for fun."_

_They had reached the marble pillars of Gringotts now. The Potter family ascended the steps, and entered the bank. The marble floor gleamed, and Cassiopeia could see her reflection in it. Impressive stone pillars rose up on all sides, like a temple. Goblin tellers were behind their desks, weighing something or writing something down, most of them pointedly ignoring the waiting people in front of them._

_Dorea strode towards the nearest free goblin, and said, in a demanding voice, "Main Potter vault, please."_

_It still amazed Cassiopeia sometimes that her Mum was a Black and still had respect for magical creatures, but Dorea had always been different to all the other mad lunatics that composed the Black family._

_The goblin looked up at the word 'please' and immediately snapped to attention, seeing who was waiting. "Bolnok will take you there." he said._

_Another goblin appeared behind him, as if he had Apparated. "Come with me, Lord Potter, Lady Potter, Heir Potter, Heiress Potter." he instructed, and led them into a cart in the goblin mines. Cassiopeia swallowed. She had always hated those stupid carts, mostly because she vomited whenever she took them._

_One cart-journey, two vomits, and two hours later, they reached the main Potter vault. A griffin, the Potter family crest, was engraved on the elaborate golden door, as well as the Potter motto,_ 'the last enemy to be destroyed is death' _._

_The goblin unlocked the doors, and Cassiopeia stepped inside._

_She remembered seeing mounds and mounds of gold and jewelry, Charlus leading her over to a display case, Cassiopeia herself choosing a pearl necklace with other jewels dotted around it, and leaving the vault. She remembered it all. But this time, in this dream, she could see nothing but darkness._

_"You failed me," Sirius's voice said. "You knew I was innocent, you had the means to free me, but you didn't!"_

_"You could have easily prevented our deaths," her mother's voice rang out. "You could have done it with little to no fanfare, but you didn't!"_

_"You are a disappointment, Cassiopeia," James's voice said. "So many things you could have prevented, and you didn't. You're not my sister anymore."_

* * *

Cassiopeia woke up gasping for breath. When she had looked around and realized that she was not in the darkness of the Potter vault, she sighed in relief. She rolled over in the bed that McGonagall and Dumbledore had supplied for her and grasped her wand. 

She yawned and looked out the windows. It was bright and the sun was shining brilliantly. " _Tempus_!" she cast, then groaned.

_09:46._

Cassiopeia stretched and felt her muscles loosen slightly. She sheathed her wand inside her sleeve, opened the door, and left the room, heading for the kitchens.

Since she'd woken up after being spun forwards in time, she'd lived in a private room at Hogwarts. Since it was the summer holidays, no one, except a select few teachers, was there, so Cassiopeia was mostly free to wander around. She frequently spent time in the library, poring over books about time travel. She took her meals in the kitchens, since not a lot of people knew where it was (she was proud to say that the Marauders had found it in their second year).

She went through her new daily routine as always: breakfast, reading about time travel in the library, lunch, a bit of flying, then researching about time travel again. At four o'clock in the afternoon, she packed up, and left for Dumbledore's office.

The Headmaster's office was the same as ever; silver trinkets lined the walls, a large cupboard stood at the corner of the room, a polished desk sat in the middle of the office. Behind the desk was Dumbledore, looking as calm and relaxed as ever, his eyes twinkling (how did he do that? A twinkling charm or something?). 

"Miss Potter," he greeted. "Ready?"

Cassiopeia nodded resolutely. "Ready, Headmaster."

A few days after she'd woken up, Cassiopeia had found out that Potter Manor, her ancestral home, had been destroyed in the war. She'd decided, right then and there, that she would fix it, and arranged to Floo to Potter Manor and stay there until the end of the summer holidays, when she would become Hermione Jean Granger, Muggleborn witch. Dumbledore had already (very stealthily) filed the paperwork.

He smiled at her. "Now, go, and fix your ancestral home, Miss Potter."

Cassiopeia scooped some Floo powder out of the flower pot he offered her, threw it into the flames, and as she stepped into the roaring green fire, she yelled, "Potter Manor!"


	8. Chapter 8 - Potter Manor - Cassiopeia Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassiopeia takes a trip to Potter Manor, and runs into a few complications there.

Cassiopeia tumbled out of the Floo, and landed, face down, on the floor. Immediately, there was a prickling feeling on both her cheeks, and she could taste the coppery blood in her mouth.

She lifted a hand, and set in on the floor, intending to use it to prop her self up. Immediately, her hand prickled slightly, and she could feel blood running over it. 

Cassiopeia withdrew the hand, lifted her head, and stared at the floor. The wood wasn't smooth, like it had been during her childhood; quite the contrary. Little bits of wood stuck out, their ends sharp. Some were coated with blood - her blood.

 _Stupid._ She was so fucking _stupid_. She knew that Potter Manor had been damaged, and still, she had stupidly used the Floo to Potter Manor's Floo room, which was located inside the Manor. She should have thought it over, weighed the advantages and disadvantages of every method of travel, but she hadn't. Perhaps getting flung forwards in time had muddled her brain up.

Cassiopeia tried to stand up, but found that she was wobbly on her feet, and she crashed, very inelegantly, to the floor once again. 

She reached a hand out and gingerly felt the piece of wood in front of her. It felt okay, so she pressed her hand on the floor once again...

And the ceiling crashed down.

Wood, metal, _whatever_ crashed into her body. A particularly sharp piece of metal sank into her back, and and white-hot agony coursed through her, consuming every vein, every artery in her body. Her blood felt weirdly hot, like she'd just been cooked over a hot fire.

She could feel her blood splashing out of her, like whales or dorphins or any type of sea animal, actually. Great red waves spurted out of her wound, and it looked eerily like a sea...of her blood.

At least it wasn't worse than the Cruciatus. She'd endured one from Rodolphus Lestrange (who, by the way, was a complete idiot and waste of magic; Cassiopeia couldn't get how he could perform one of the darkest and most magic-taxing spells of all time, with the tiny amount of magical power he seemed to have) and hadn't screamed; in fact, she hadn't fallen to the ground and only had a few tremors before returning to normal. She'd also taken one, meant for Sirius, from Bellatrix Black Lestrange; hers had hurt a hell lot more, and she'd fallen onto the ground and writhed, but didn't scream. She prided herself on her resistance.

She could feel the sharp edge of something - perhaps a goblin-made blade that was dropped by a Death Eater during the raid on Potter Manor, or a dagger from the display cases - pressing into her neck. Cold drops of blood leaked down into her casual robes, and she could feel a small wound on her neck that she had gotten a long time ago when she'd fallen off a Muggle swing reopen again and bleed freely.

Cassiopeia felt her oxygen supply running out, felt the unmistakeable squeeze of suffocation as objects crashed down onto her, as she was encompassed by them. She panted for breath, trying to get oxygen, but her efforts were fruitless. She felt her heartbeat growing fainter by the millisecond, but like the Gryffindor she was, she ignored it and focused on pushing the towering mountain of objects away from her.

It was like the tower of objects was alive. It closed in on her, trapping her. It was only a few inches away from her now; a few more seconds and it would crush her. She tried to draw her wand with her right hand, but she didn't have enough space. Daggers, swords, spears, splinters of wood cut her hand. It felt like her hand was falling off; great slashes ran along it, and tiny drops of blood crept down her arm. 

She didn't let a sound escape her; even if she was alone, in private, she didn't like showing weakness. She was Head Auror, and she needed to project a strong face to the hopeless victims, the confused Aurors, the downtrodden families. Eventually, it had simply been drilled into her personality, and she didn't even think twice when she did it.

Uncaring for her hand, she used her bleeding hand to draw her wand, despite the searing pain that spread through it, and gripped her ceder wand tightly. Her parents had been ridiculously proud when this wand chose her. Ceder was quite a powerful wand wood, and indicated that the owner was very hard to manipulated and was a dangerous enemy. It had only delighted Charlus and Dorea Black Potter more when her wand was revealed to have three wand cores, which was exceedingly rare and practically unheard of: dragon heartstring, from a particularly strong Hungarian Horntail, unicorn hair, from a exceedingly beautiful female unicorn, and a phoenix tail feather, from a thunder phoenix that was bred in America.

Ollivander's words echoed through her head. " _Interesting, interesting. This is the only wand I have ever made that has three wand cores. Phoenix tail feathers are also very rare, thunder phoenix feathers especially so. I remember the unicorn I took the hairs from; extraordinarily beautiful, and nearly ate me when I plucked her hairs. You are destined for great things, Cassiopeia Potter."_

 _Well,_ Cassiopeia thought determinedly, _it's time for me to put my skills to the test, or I won't survive long enough to do great things._

She slashed her wand in the air - a dangerous move, considering that the mountain of objects could have broken her wand, and a broken wand was the last thing she wanted - and shouted, _"Immobulus!"_

The tower of objects moving towards her suddenly froze, and Cassiopeia sighed in relief.

" _Bombardo!_ " she yelled, though she was concerned that the powerful, slightly Dark spell would damage the walls of the Floo room. However, the mountain simply shattered into pieces of glass and metal and wood, and she was finally able to breathe properly again. 

She carefully maneuvered her way to the door, Vanishing the pieces as she went. Thank Merlin that whoever owned them hadn't cast a charm so that they were un-Vanishable.

Once out the door, she closed it and locked it securely, before putting up wards, and Cassiopeia sighed in relief. Disaster mostly avoided. Mostly being the key word there.

* * *

_"What happened, Minister? Why am I here?" Cassiopeia asked Minister Bagnold, who was standing there looking slightly concerned._

_She sighed. "In the hours of morning, Cassius Starr was attacked by Death Eaters, and he didn't make it out alive."_

_Cassiopeia's eyebrows lifted to her forehead. "Impossible," she said immediately. "Cassius's head of the Auror Department. He wouldn't have went down so easily."_

_The Minister shook her head. Her grey hairs seemed more pronounced. Perhaps it was simply old age, but Cassiopeia had a suspicion that it was the war. "I'm afraid it is." she said gravely. "We found evidence that concludes that he tried to fight the Death Eaters, but they had already snapped his wand. Traces of blood was found in his kitchen."_

_Cassiopeia's eyes widened, before a neutral mask settled over her features. "What do you want me to do then?"_

_Bagnold gave her a tight smile. "Become Head of the Auror Department."_

_Cassiopeia blinked, and then blinked again. "Say it again?"_

_"Become Head of the Auror Department." Bagnold repeated._

_"Why?" Cassiopeia asked. "I'm not the best candidate, Kingsley's -"_

_"You're my choice, and the matter's closed." said the Minister snappishly._

_By mid-afternoon, Cassiopeia had already moved in to her new office, had the engraving on the door changed, and remodeled the office entirely. At exactly three thirty in the afternoon, Sirius walked in with a smirk._

_"Heard you'd been promoted," he said. "Congrats."_

_She furrowed her brows. "You sound down, Sirius."_

_"I don't," he denied, too quickly._

_Cassiopeia snorted. "Sirius Black, you know as well as I do that I can read you easily."_

_Sirius sighed, and ran his hands through his already messy hair. "I know, alright? I'm happy for you...but...I'm scared I'll lose you."_

_"What do you mean?" Cassiopeia persisted._

_Sirius's grey eyes met her hazel. "I mean...well, there's the war going on, right? So we don't get to spend so much time with each other. I'm just worried that you being Head Auror would lessen our already limited time."_

_Cassiopeia sighed. "Sirius, I can see your point. But we'll always be together, even if I am super busy."  
_

_Sirius's face broke out in a smile. "We'll always be together." he repeated._


	9. Chapter 9 - Feeling Magic - Sirius Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sirius can, with the help of his magic, feel that something big, something important happened in the Wizarding World. Something related to Cassiopeia.

_The first time Sirius ever actually felt magic was in his fourth year._

_It was something that many could not do; it was rare and nearly impossible to literally feel magic washing over you, brushing your skin, sparking inside of you. If you could feel magic, it meant that you had a stronger connection to your magic and was therefore more powerful. Cassiopeia could; she'd confessed that she'd been able to since she was eight, and Sirius couldn't help but to be jealous, but knew it was useless; it wouldn't help him._

_It was a Saturday; Cassiopeia had dragged him out of bed, insisting that he absolutely needed to see her new rune sequence. She had taken Ancient Runes as an elective since third year, and had since moved up to fifth year classes, even though she was only a fourth year, because of her skill in recognizing, putting together and creating runic sequences. For the past month, she'd worked on creating her own sequence, and even though it failed every single time she still insisted on having someone to witness her 'learning experiences' and apparently she couldn't wake up James and decided on Sirius instead._

_So that was why Sirius had woken up to Cassiopeia squealing in his ear, "Siri, I think I've got it! You've absolutely got to come!"_

_When he'd woken up and grumpily brushed his teeth (something that Cassiopeia had introduced him to, insisting that it was better than teeth cleaning charms), showered and changed clothes, he went with her to an unused classroom on the third floor. The circle on the floor was small, no longer than a breakfast plate. The inside of the circle was empty, and there was another circle outside it, with a square between the two layers. In the gaps between the outer circle and the square were runes - both runic equations and lone runes - cluttering it so that there wasn't an inch of space that wasn't covered by runes._

_Cassiopeia placed a dead flower into the center - after all, this experiment was about bringing dead things back to life, like flowers or small insects - and began to chant something that Sirius couldn't translate._

_Something washed over him, crept along his skin, spread from his heart to his body. A tingling feeling grew, and in that moment, Sirius felt like he could do anything._

_The brittle brown petals turned pink, the dead stem grew green, and the smell of dead flowers was swept away by the beautiful scent of fresh flowers._

_Cassiopeia turned to him, a smile spreading across her beautiful face. "I did it, Siri! I did it!"_

_Sirius nodded, dazed. He knew what had just happened; he'd felt magic, for the first time in his life._

* * *

_The first time Sirius and Cassiopeia kissed was during the holidays between fifth and sixth year._

_After Walburga Black had attempted to make Sirius a Death Eater (and using the Cruciatus Curse on him when he refused) , he'd Portkeyed away, with the help of one of Cassiopeia's new runic sequences, to Potter Manor. There, Dorea Black Potter had healed him, and he was going to be staying here for all the holidays. Sirius couldn't have been more grateful._

_In fifth year they had finally mastered their Animagus forms (it had taken a particularly long time, because they kept swallowing their mandrakes leaves; needless to say, Cassiopeia had not been amused). James was a Stag, Sirius a Grim (a big, black dog that, after a bit of research, turned out to be the harbinger of Death; Cassiopeia had been very excited, saying that perhaps Sirius had gotten a few features and talents of the species), Peter a rat, and Cassiopeia a beautiful red-and-gold phoenix. They'd invented a game, rather like Tag or whatever Muggles called it, in which there would be one 'Finder' who couldn't use his or her Animagus form but had their wand, and the 'Hiders' who could use both their Animagus and human form but had no wand. The Finder's job was to find all the Hiders (who would become Petrified) and if he or she succeeded, the Finder would get a whole plate of cookies (James's idea)._

_So, after breakfast that day, they ran out to Potter Manor's garden, and, because they were following an order with the Finders, Sirius was chosen as the Finder. Immediately after the timer that Cassiopeia conjured went off, the Hiders darted away, some in their Animagus forms. Sirius darted after them, seeing Wormtail's (Peter's animagus form) long tail whip out of sight, into a bush. Sirius's fingers closed around empty air, and he growled like his dog counterpart. He lunged, and caught the end of Wormtail's tail._

_The rat transformed into Peter, who scowled before promptly being Petrified. Smirking smugly, he left Peter and scoured the garden for any trace of Cassiopeia, James, Cassiefeather (James had made it up to tease his sister, who hated it), Prongs, or Remus. He caught a flash of Remus's sandy hair, pulled out his wand, and yelled, "Petrificus Totalus!"_

_Remus froze, and Sirius darted off again, now to look for James or Cassiopeia._

_A gold-and-red bird flew in front of him, apparently unaware that he was there. Cassiefeather turned around and froze, before promptly transforming, and in doing so, came closer._

_And then their lips touched._

_Time seemed to slow, and the garden disappeared from sight. Sirius's grey eyes met Cassiopeia's hazel, which looked shocked and a little nervous._

_And then, a true magical bond formed between them, weak but there._

* * *

Far, far away, on a tiny island protected by walls and soul-sucking creatures, Sirius froze.

A tingle spread through him. He recognized that tingle; the same tingle he'd experienced when Voldemort rose to power. When Cassiopeia disappeared. When Lily and James died.

Something important had happened.

It frustrated him, not knowing what had happened but knowing that something had. While Sirius wasn't the avid collector of knowledge that Lily had been, ten years in the worst prison in the world had made his imagination fade, and his want for entertainment grow.

And Sirius Black swore to himself that he would find out what had happened, and he would be relentless in his search.

He was a Black, after all, and Blacks didn't show mercy.

* * *

It was a few days later that something happened again.

Sirius picked at the mouldy bread he was given boredly, feeling a little green. Ten years of eating this food had made him grateful for it, but he had something else on his mind.

What had happened?

His eyes widened briefly before his cheeks stung and his hands hurt. Suddenly, he doubled over, screaming. It felt like metal tearing into his back, though a glance showed him there was nothing there and he wasn't bleeding.

What was it?

He started to choke, when an invisible tower of objects closed on him. He felt his oxygen supply running out, felt himself beginning to suffocate. He clawed at his throat, trying to get air, but he couldn't.

Invisible things started pressing on his body, and it bloody hurt. He didn't know how much longer he could go, and then, suddenly, it stopped and he could breathe again.

His mind crawled for reasons to this, and only one came out:

Cassiopeia.


	10. Chapter 10 - Memories - Cassiopeia Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassiopeia is thrown back in her memories, of a time without Voldemort.

Even before the first, dimmest, smallest rays of sunlight peered through her window, Cassiopeia was up and running.

Literally.

She ran around the field outside Potter Manor, completing her normal exercises. As an Auror, especially one actively involved in the war, she had to be fit, because running from Death Eaters (and Voldemort) was the kind of thing she did everyday. Being fit also helped her magical reserves; it would give her more magical power, so her spells were more powerful. 

"Ouch!"

Scowling at the _stupid_ thorn that had pricked her knee - she'd gotten too close to it for her liking - she removed her wand from its place in an invisible sheath in her sleeve and waved it over the injured spot. Smiling, she watched as the blood disappeared and the cut healed itself, leaving pale, unblemished skin.

Flicking her wand, she checked the time. Oh. One and a half hours of running finished.

Usually she'd woken up late, but she'd since gotten used to having five hours of sleep per day. Sometimes, Auror raids would last into the dead of night, and she had to stay at work until she'd gotten those _stupid stupid_ forms filled in.

And then she had to go to work early in the morning, because Death Eaters had the unfortunate (for her, at least) habit to perform raids and attacks in the early morning. Auror working hours didn't start until eight o'clock, which, in Cassiopeia's opinion, was totally unfair. Luckily, Sirius, Kingsley and a few others would go to work at the same time as her, so she wasn't alone.

Algy, who was, to her surprise, alive, popped out. "Mistress Cassiopeia be eating breakfast now."

* * *

_She waved her wand at the door again, quietly muttering a spell under her breath._

_"There," she said, satisfied that her work had been completed. "Done."_

_A loud pop startled her so much that she immediately spun around, and a curse was at the tip of her tongue. When Cassiopeia saw who it was, she lowered her wand, and her brows furrowed.  
_

_"Algy?" she questioned hesitantly. "Is that you?"_

_The elf huffed at her. "Mistress Cassiopeia is back! Where has she been? Algy has been waiting for her! He felt -"_

_"Yes, yes," Cassiopeia interrupted. A house-elf's speech could take forever. "Now, is it only you who is alive, or -"_

_"Tippy is alive too," the Head Potter elf offered immediately. "And Wippy. And Pip."_

_"Four?" mused Cassiopeia. "Well...that's a lot, because no Potter has inhabited this place for_ years _..."_

_"But we be knowing that Mistress Cassiopeia will be coming back," Algy rebutted firmly._

_Her eyebrows drew together. "You did?"_

_"We felt Mistress Cassiopeia's magic."_

_"Er...alright."_

_Algy frowned, taking notice of her cuts and bruises. "Mistress Cassiopeia must be healing now. Go to sleep." Then he frowned and looked guilty. "But Algy has not been cleaning the rooms."_

_"Bossy. Whatever, I'll do it."_

* * *

_Cassiopeia brushed the dust from the bronze plaque on her parents's bedroom door. Now, with the dust removed, the words on the plaque gleamed brightly._

**_Lord Charlus Potter_ **

**_&_ **

**_Lady Dorea Black Potter_ **

_The Potter crest, a griffin, shone underneath those words. Then:_

**_The last enemy to be destroyed is death._ **

Yes, _Cassiopeia thought angrily,_ the last enemy to be destroyed is death. _Death couldn't be destroyed or avoided. It was_ _inevitable, unavoidable._

_The door creaked as she pushed it open slowly._

_Everything was the same as it was when Charlus and Dorea had died. The bed, the nightstands, wardrobes...everything. Yet there was something wrong, something different._

_Cassiopeia stepped closer, and immediately leaped away, staring in horrified fascination at the long streak of red covering the blanket._

_Blood._

_Her mother's or her father's blood, she couldn't tell. All she knew was that that blood belonged to one of her parents._

_On the pillows, there were occasional green dots._

_Dragon Pox._

_She knew how they had died, of course. But seeing it, feeling it...it was like she'd been sleeping all this time and had just woken up. Everything suddenly was clearer, sharper than before._

* * *

_Even as Cassiopeia's fingers brushed against the plaque, she knew she couldn't go in._

**_James Potter_ **

_James's room would carry too many bad memories for her. All the times they'd played, talked, or planned...those times were in the past. He was dead, and he wasn't going to come back, no matter what she did._

* * *

_**Sirius Black** _

_This room she could go in. She hesitantly pushed the door open._

_It was the same as ever. Parchment was littered around the table, mostly prank plans. On the mantle of the fireplace, there were half a dozen pictures._

_The first one was of the Marauders, at the end of first year. She, James, Sirius, Remus and...Peter._

_Her eyes burned with tears as she thought about Peter's betrayal. It was a stab to the heart when she'd seen it, and it still was._

_Why, why had he done it? They had been friends, the best of friends. They'd rather die then betray him._

_Yet he'd done it anyway._

_Cassiopeia knew grief - the grief that he felt when his sister was murdered must have been the same as the grief she had felt when Charlus and Dorea had succumbed to Dragon Pox. Why had he given in to the Death Eaters? Why did he willingly work with the people who killed his sister?  
_

_The next picture was, like the first, of all the Maruaders. Charlus and Dorea stood proudly behind them, hands on Cassiopeia and James's shoulders._

_Picture-Sirius's grey eyes sparkled as he laughed, amusement shining in them. Amusement that she was likely to never see in his beautiful eyes ever again._

_Rage built up inside her. How dare Peter do this? How dare he betray them?_

_She pushed away those thoughts, and focused on the third picture._

_End of fifth year. Sirius and Cassiopeia were holding hands, not even realizing it, while James's eyebrows flew up his forehead at seeing them._

_End of sixth year. The Marauders laughed, amusement shining in their eyes, as picture-Cassiopeia glared at them, mouthing something. She smiled fondly, remembering those days where her brother and friends planned pranks, and she berated them all the time._

_The fifth picture was at the end of seventh year, when everyone had just got out of the stuffy train. Sirius and Cassiopeia held hands, their new engagement rings shimmering on their fingers._

_Cassiopeia felt her smile grow a little at that. The moment Sirius had proposed to her had been one of the best in her life._

_The sixth and last picture was taken at Lily and James's wedding. She remembered that day vividly. She'd been Lily's bridesmaid, and Sirius had been the best man._

_And suddenly, she broke down into sobs._

_They would never have another of those days again, where they laughed and smiled and joked._

_Those days were in the past._

* * *

_Cassiopeia smiled lightly at seeing the name on the bronze plaque, stuck on the door._

**_Remus Lupin_ **

_She pushed it open quietly. Remus's bed, like always, was neat and orderly. Parchment was piled on one side of his table. Books cluttered the shelves._

_Without meaning to, she laughed. It was so...Remus. For a second she could imagine that it was the summer before fourth year, when Cassiopeia came to wake Remus up for breakfast and found him reading. She'd ended up reading too, and Pip had had to pop in and tell them off._

* * *

**_Peter Pettigrew_ **

_Her eyes blazed with rage, and her heart hardened._

_She couldn't go into the room of a traitor._

_Without meaning to, without thinking properly, she ripped the plaque from the door, and a vindictive smirk curled her lips._

* * *

After breakfast, Cassiopeia had changed into her robes to get ready for the day. Staring at the broken, domed roof of Potter Manor, she felt her anger threatening to overwhelm her, and pushed it down.

Now, she was standing in front of the mirror, peering at herself.

She hadn't even noticed that her Hermione-Jean-Granger appearance had disappeared. She had Morphed every day, but it seemed that her concentration kept breaking. She'd have to practice not breaking her concentration later.

Her eyes turned green and almond-shaped, the exact same shade as Lily's.

Frowning at her reflection, she shook her head. Her eyes turned a light, cinnamon brown.

Now for her hair.

She made it completely straight, and lighten a few shades. There. That should be satisfactory; no one should be able to recognize her. She really didn't need people calling the Ministry because Cassiopeia Potter had suddenly come back to life.

Twisting on her heel, she Apparated.

* * *

Diagon Alley was bustling with witches and wizards going about their daily routines. It was also close to Hogwarts starting, so children from ages eleven to seventeen were also entering and leaving shops, some with teachers. In the light of day, Diagon Alley seemed more cheerful and happy than ever.

Cassiopeia walked up the marble steps of Gringotts, nodded to the goblins guarding the door, and stepped inside.

The goblins's bank was as busy as the street outside. Tellers sat at desks, some talking with their clients, some ignoring the people entirely. A incredibly tiny smirk twisted her lips. Goblins, the same as ever.

She strode towards the nearest teller (who was blatantly ignoring the witches and wizards who were scowling at him), and curtsied, making sure to display her Heiress ring.

She enjoyed the look of shocked disbelief playing on his face.

* * *

"Welcome back, Heiress Potter," the Potter account manager, Ragnok, said.

Cassiopeia was sitting in his office, tapping her foot impatiently. 

"I thank you, Potter Account Manager Ragnok," she said, and tapped her chin in thought. "I need Goblin services today. Tell me, do goblins do Warding?"


	11. Chapter 11: Warding and Research

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the goblins ward Potter Manor, Cassiopeia does some research.

Potter Manor was build in the early 1600's, by Henry Potter and his wife, Aurora Fawley. The previous Potter Manor had been burnt down by what was likely Fiendfyre, leaving no trace of it behind. At that time, Henry and Aurora had been out, but Henry's parents, Harry Potter and Valeria Malfoy, had been inside at that time, and as such, they died. No one knew who cast the Fiendfyre, though the main suspects were the Yaxleys, a Dark family who lived nearby and had a feud with the Potters. 

The new Manor was as large and impressive as the other; its white walls shone in the sun, and the elaborately decorated exterior and interior gave it an elegant feel. Aurora, being an avid lover of Magical Creatures, had put quite a few Magical animals, their danger rating ranging from X to XXXX, like a Cerberus, a Chimera (though that was a bit overboard) and a Hungarian Horntail dragon. These Magical Creatures were kept safely behind securely warded doors, since there was the one time that the Cerberus escaped. It had taken hours to re-capture and subdue it.

Each Potter had brought something new to Potter Manor; Ella Potter, who had wandered out into the Muggle world and had been mesmerized by it, had gifted an assortment of Muggle toys. There was a Muggle playground next to the garden, and Muggle toys for children still lay inside nurseries. Fleamont Potter had bought a pile of rare and exotic Potions ingredients (both he and his wife specializing in that subject) and stored them securely in the now very full Potions's lab; and Charlus Potter had added Rune markings on the walls, on the desks, everywhere, to help protect his ancestral home.

The Potters also owned the land around Potter Manor, so the Potter children would have a safe place to run around and play during the sunny days. Aurora Potter had created her creature sanctuary in the very back of the forest. With mossy green grass and tall trees, the land had a wide-area cushioning charm set onto it, so if a child fell, they wouldn't get hurt.

Now Cassiopeia Potter, daughter of Charlus and Dorea Potter, one of the two last living survivors of the House of Potter, led a dozen (rather grumpy) goblins through the same forest in which she had once ran in, and emerged at the entrance. 

"I want you to ward the entire property," said Cassiopeia. "The Manor first, then the forest. The previous wards are connected to the Head of House, but since James and Lily," she choked, "died," she finally managed to get out, "the power of the wards faded, and eventually they disappeared entirely. I want you to re-erect them, still being keyed to the Head of House, considering I'm currently filling the position. I trust you know which wards we used?"

The goblin in the lead - Nangok, apparently - nodded. "Yes, Lady Potter."

"Good," she said cheerfully. "How long will you need before I'll have to give my blood, you know, for the Blood Wards?"

The goblin examined the Manor critically, and said, "For the Manor, it'll be three hours. For the forest, five hours after that."

Cassiopeia nodded. "Of course," she said, and entered Potter Manor again.

* * *

"Sirius Black's trial investigation, underlined," Cassiopeia said to her Dicto-quill, slamming a pile of books and newspapers from the Potter library on the little table she was occupying. At least the Library was up-to-date. 

"Okay," she began, "Hmm. This one first; October the thirty-first, Evening Prophet. Death of You-Know-Who, no, Harry Potter: the Boy Who Lived? No. Oh, here's it. The Betrayal of the Potters, by...buggering fuck, who let _Rita Skeeter_ of all people write this article? Oh well. Let's see...Sirius Black, Betrayer of the Potters. Certain reliable sources - hah, nothing that foul woman says is reliable actually is reliable - inform this reporter that Sirius Black, best friend of Lily and James Potter, is the prime suspect for their betrayal. It is a well-known fact that he was their Secret Keeper (for information on the Fidelius Charm and Secret Keepers, see page 15), and so he was the only one with the ability to divulge the secret of Lily, James and Harry Potter's location. Mr Black is being chased for investigation currently, but he is avoiding capture, a sure sign of his guilt. When he is finally caught, what will the results be? Will we find out the secret of the deaths of our beloved - " she snorted derisively; not everyone actually loved Lily and James, more specifically, hidden Death Eaters, "Lily and James Potter?

"Well," she said to the Dicto-quill, "that wasn't helpful at all. Okay." she slammed the paper down onto the table space on her left, and took the top newspaper from the right. "November the first, Daily Prophet. By Barnabus Cuffe. At least it isn't Rita Skeeter," she grumbled. "She's a complete, utter cow. Okay. Page 3. Black Slays Thirteen. Wait - what?" Cassiopeia blinked at the paper, and shook her head. "Ah, well. Black Slays Thirteen. Sirius Black, suspected betrayer of the Potters, today confirmed our suspicions. At exactly 03 27 PM, Black used a blasting curse on a Muggle street and killed twelve Muggles (names unknown) and wizard Peter Pettigrew. Muggle witnesses (who were, of course, later Obliviated) cited that they heard Pettigrew accuse Black of betraying Lily, James, and Cassiopeia Potter, and when Black was apprehended, he was heard saying that he was the reason all three Potters were died. The...actually, I'm not reading that. Utter rubbish." Cassiopeia Vanished the paper, and removed a book from the pile on her right.

"The Rise and Fall of Dark Wizards of the Twentieth Century, by Brutus Caspar. Section Two. Chapter Thirteen, The Defeat of Voldemort. Subsection Three, Sirius Black's Betrayal. Hmm...Black, long-time friend of the Potters, was found killing thirteen Muggles and one wizard, bla bla bla, he was condemned to lifetime in Azkaban." Cassiopeia scowled, and slammed the book down with unnecessary force. 

Exactly two hours and fifty four minutes later, she had went through her entire pile of books and newspapers pertaining to Sirius, and nothing came up regarding his trail. _Nothing_. Which implied that...he hadn't gotten a trial.

If it was one thing Cassiopeia Potter hated more than Voldemort, it was unfairness. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was _clearly_ flaunting the rules! Why else would not a sliver of information about Sirius's (lack of) trial come up?

 _Ring! Ring!_ Cassiopeia shook her head to clear her thoughts, and waved her wand to dispel the alarm charm. She needed to go outside now, to give her blood to power the Blood Wards. She knew goblins didn't appreciate lateness, and she would prefer not to have their ire. She had a strong attachment to her head and would like to keep it securely attached to her body, thank you very much.

She left the parchment, books and newspapers in the same place, and left the library. She walked through the halls of her ancestral home, and finally, came before the golden doors. They slid open immediately, and Cassiopeia blinked at seeing the bright light of the sun after hours inside.

A different goblin hustled up to her and said importantly, "Lady Potter, your presence is required for the Blood Wards."

Cassiopeia nodded, and followed the goblin to where the eleven others were in single file, Nangok at the front. Once he saw her, he beckoned. 

"Come," he barked gruffly. "We need your blood for the wards."

Obediently, Cassiopeia stepped forwards and drew a knife. Slashing the palm of her hand, she allowed a few drops of blood to spill onto the shimmering surface of the wards.

All of Potter Manor glowed with a brilliant golden light, then it dimmed. Nangok nodded at her. "You can go now."

Cassiopeia nodded, and slipped back into Potter Manor, back into the library to research.]

* * *

Five hours later, she'd made no new breakthroughs, except for the fact that Mrs Pettigrew recieved an Order of Merlin, First Class and her son's finger in a box. Checking the time, she startled. 

She slipped back outside, to the goblins. Without waiting for them to say anything, she slashed the palm of her hand again and the blood dripped onto the wards of Potter Forest.

As the goblins left, she sighed in relief. Potter Manor was once again safe.


End file.
